


Hoard-Guardian

by grievousGrimalkin



Category: Beowulf (Poem), Beowulf - All Media Types
Genre: Dragons, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-09 05:50:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grievousGrimalkin/pseuds/grievousGrimalkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Civilization's noise rouses the sleeping drake, and, when a piece of his hoard is stolen, he begins his rampage.  (Short-short piece from the perspective of the enraged dragon.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hoard-Guardian

Their noise woke me.  The crack of their swords, the raucous rumble of their halls, and the churning of their oars in the sea echoed through my vault.  I hissed and rearranged myself atop my hoard, trying, again, to sleep.  The drumming didn’t cease; the grating of plows and jangling tramp of armored feet rattling over my head kept me from slumber, and I raged through my cave, dashing my golden hoard across the floor and retreating deeper into my halls to escape their racket.  Deeper caverns did not avail me, and the noise followed, echoing louder the deeper I delved.  Turning back, I set to reordering my hoard, heaping coins and armor, goblets and crowns into my bed, hoping futilely to resume my sleep. 

My nostrils happened upon a trail, a waft of vapor smelling of terror and astonishment, that wormed its way into my hoard before snaking back out, carrying with it the scent of a familiar chalice; someone had disturbed my treasure, taking at once a prize and my fatal wrath.  With sleep and gold now stolen, I charged to the cave-mouth, stretching my wings and drowning out all their noise, the feet and plows and oars and halls and swords, with a tremendous roar of flame and vengeance.


End file.
